Revisit Mark Twain’s timeless tale of boyhood mischief and adventure
STORY AND PHOTOS by Sara Schafer
Tom Sawyer Could profit from a punishment — convincing neighborhood boys to give him treasures for the honor of whitewashing a fence. He could charm local beauty Becky Thatcher into an engagement only to spoil it with a careless mention of a previous fiancee. He could run away to live as a pirate on the mighty waves of the Mississippi River, let an entire town believe he was dead and then walk the aisle at his own funeral.
This June marked 150 years since “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain was first published in 1876. For a century and a half, readers have followed Tom through boyhood antics, adventure, first love, fear and friendship. Those unforgettable scenes, inspired in part by Twain’s childhood in northeast Missouri, help explain why the novel has endured as one of America’s most celebrated works of literature.
The original manuscript of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is housed at the Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site in Florida, Missouri. The handwritten manuscript and first editions of Twain’s works are among the artifacts displayed at the historic site, which is served by Ralls County Electric Cooperative.
From Sam to Twain
The highlight of the historic site is the two-room rented cabin where Samuel Clemens — Twain’s real name — was born on Nov. 30, 1835, in Florida. The cabin was a cozy home to eight people after Twain was born: his parents, John and Jane Clemens; Twain and his four siblings, Orion, Pamela, Margaret and Benjamin; and an enslaved teenager named Jenny.
In 1839, the family moved to Hannibal, but Twain continued to visit Florida. “He came back and spent summers between the ages of 7 and 12 with his aunt and uncle and eight cousins north of here,” says Marianne Bodine, historian and curator of Mark Twain State Park and Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site. “Probably a lot of those visits went into Tom Sawyer.”
At the age of 12, Twain went to work at a Hannibal newspaper, helping spark his love for the written word. Several years later, he took a trip on a steamboat down the Mississippi River. That led to him spending four years piloting steamboats on the great river, which inspired many future essays and books.
The Civil War brought an end to Twain’s river work, and he spent several years in the West in various roles. While working as a newspaper reporter in 1863, Twain adopted his pen name, a riverboat expression indicating the water was two fathoms, or 12 feet, deep and safe to navigate.
In 1867, Twain joined a group tour to Europe and the Holy Land that he would use as the basis for his first book, “The Innocents Abroad.” It became an instant bestseller and launched a literary career that spanned more than four decades.
Tales of Tom
Twain began writing “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” in the early 1870s. He drew heavily from his childhood memories. The fictional setting of the book, St. Petersburg, is based largely on Hannibal.
“Most of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but not from an individual,” Twain wrote in the book’s preface.
Twain later claimed “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” was the first novel written on a typewriter, although its original manuscript is handwritten. At first, it was a commercial failure. But it went on to become one of the best-selling books of Twain’s lifetime. Along with its 1885 sequel, “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” the book is considered by many to be a masterpiece of American literature.
Kansas City book dealer Frank Glenn tracked down the original manuscript in London in 1937. He believed it belonged to the people of Missouri, so he purchased it and later sold it to the state. The manuscript was dedicated at the Missouri State Capitol in 1951. It moved to its permanent home in Florida in 1960 for the grand opening of the Mark Twain Birthplace Memorial Shrine.
The original handwritten manuscript goes on display for a limited time each year at the historic site. It spends around 10 months of the year in temperature- and humidity-controlled darkness, Marianne says.
Plan a Twain Adventure
Throughout the year, the museum rotates displays of several of Twain’s first editions and manuscripts. The museum is also home to many furnishings from Twain’s Connecticut home as well as other historical exhibits.
For many visitors, those artifacts revive memories of their first encounters with Twain’s stories.
“Everyone who comes here says, ‘I read his books when I was a little boy or girl,’” Marianne says.
The historic site aims to preserve those memories while introducing Twain and his world to a new generation.
“Part of our mission is to interpret the time period in Florida when he lived here,” Marianne says. “We are appealing to all kinds of visitors, and we have many displays geared for little kids to get them interested in going to museums.”
This anniversary year offers the perfect opportunity to make your own connection to Twain’s story. Revisit this enduring novel, make the trip to Florida to see Twain’s birthplace cabin, hike the trails overlooking Mark Twain Lake or bring along a copy of the book and read beside the water.
The Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site is located at 37352 Shrine Road in Florida. For more information and hours, call 573-248-9980 or visit bit.ly/mark-twain-birthplace.
Email Sara Schafer at sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop.